The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1887-07-21
What Shall the State do with
the Liquor Traffic.

TO THE CITIZENS OF TENNESSEE:
GENTLEMEN This question iseupon
us and it is our duty to meet it intel
ligently and honestly.
During the past few years the tenn
perance movement has been mov-
ing forward. No longer do even the
liquor men claim that this reform is
the work of women and weak minded |
men.
The time has come when it will be
impossible for general election to be
held without this question coming up
for settlement. There can be no
compromise, All compromise settle
ments of questions involving a princi-
pie are always victims for the devil.
The temperance people must event
ually conquer the dramshop or the
dramshop will conquer the people.
We cannot afford to give this goodly
land of ours into the hands Of the Ii
quor traffic. There are thousands OF
patriotic men in this country who
will not cease to pay, work and vote
until this question is settled and set
tle-rightd
On aUhdt ground do the people of
Tennessee demand the abolition of the
liquor trGfic2
From the day the first still worm
sent forth its liquid fire the liquor
traffic has beeua blighting bitter curse
to all decency, honor, and virtue. 1t
has been persistently opposed to all law
civilization, morality or religion. 1t
has been the chief cause Of pauperism
and crime in this and every land
where it has gained a foothold
1t is the hot-bed OF lawlessness and a
school OF vice, ignorance, and vaga-
bondism.
1t is responsible for political cor
ruption and is direct enemy to both
the state and national government.
Now fellow citizens-ifthese charges
are false all temperance people who
repeat them for time to time are liars
slanderers and hypocrits and ought tt
be horse-whiped out of every public
assembly II they are true what mar
can justify the continued existenc,
of so damnable and destructive traffi,
in our midst? Friends, according
to your personal knowledge, do tenn
perance men lie or tell the truth in re
garG to this matter?
Does any man ever have courage t.
defend the saloon business, in the
press or on the platform, as a socia
institution or as a blessing to the hu
man family in any respect? Wit
the fact before you defend it? Tru
men have convictions on public ques
tons and are not afraid to speak an
act them out.
If the saloons of our state are bless
ings to this country, if they give L
better government, if they make goo
citizens, honest voters, loving hui
bands, happy wives, kind father
and bright children, if their Unfit
ence is toward morality, intelligence
and higher civilization, if they di
courage Sabbath breaking, preveI
crime, pamperism, vice and falls
swearing, if they bring more love an
real comforts to our homes and frt
. sides, then we are unworthy either
: ship in this great country, we are III
true to our families our country an
our God if we do not stand by and d
= fend the grogshop while we have Ii
. and strength spared us. But if tt
> contrary is the true record
, the saloon and furthermore if
~ brutalizes man, breaks women's hear
V and starves helpless children, if
~ j" finds victims for jails penitentiari
and poor houses, if it breeds riots S
- cialism and anarchy in our cite
corrupts the ballot-box and is co
= slant burden upon the tax payers, he
- can you or as honest men ask IL
" protection of this government al
=, then vote to continue the saloo
W How can we be honest men and ca
=, such a ballot?
" 1t is our business to weigh careful
: every argument presented by the
= quor men. Place all the good it h
- done in one side of the scale and
:, the evil in the other, and give the tr
~ fee the benefit of every doubt, crir
=, nails get that you know, then cons
entiously make up our decision.
0H ARE THESE YOUR OBJECTIONS TO T
AMENDMENT?
'' Ist. Can't make camphor Der
''' wine cider vinegar spake-bites dc &
=, ~ Answer.-Under this law you c
:" make and use any drink you pie
IS You cannot sell. The object is
-. kill the legalzed saloon.
- end. Il W0uld be oppression.
'u Ans. This is a government OF
emit people, by the people, and for the P